11 Indicted For Illegally Purchasing Guns In Tuscaloosa County

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Eleven suspects were recently indicted on charges involving straw purchasing of firearms, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives, and Firearms Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.

The 14-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court says that between September 2020 and December 2020, multiple handguns were purchased by straw purchasers from licensed firearms dealers located in Tuscaloosa County.

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The maximum penalty for being a felon in possession of a firearm and giving a false statement during the purchase of a firearm is 10 years in prison, while the maximum penalty is five years in prison for engaging in the business of selling firearms without a license and making a false statement for federal firearm licensee records.

The indictments are part of a concerted effort to combat the illegal purchase of firearms through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) — an initiative described as the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.

The indictments included the following suspects:

• Adrian Benito Carter, 26, of Tuscaloosa, is charged in 13 counts with offenses of being a felon in possession of a firearm, engaging in the business of selling firearms without a license, making a false statement for federal firearm licensee records, and making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
• Chasitychampayle La’Shay Bell, 23, of Tuscaloosa, and April Nicole Knox, 30, of Tuscaloosa, are charged with making false statements during the purchase of a firearm.
• Rikela Denise Chandler, 23, of Tuscaloosa, and Laquetta Venea Hall, 40, of Tuscaloosa, are charged with making false statements for federal firearm licensee records.
• Timothy Neal Coleman, 28, of Tuscaloosa, and Aaron Tyrone Taylor, 23, of Tuscaloosa, are charged with making false statements during the purchase of a firearm.
• Christopher Jermaine Dean, 33, of Cottondale, Tyler Allen Neal, 23, of Tuscaloosa, and La’darrius Deshon Whitehead, 25, of Tuscaloosa, are charged with making false statements for federal firearm licensee records and making false statements during the purchase of a firearm.
• Darron Deshone Taylor, Jr, 25, of Tuscaloosa, is charged with being a felon possession of a firearm and making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.

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